The European Left Party Expresses its Solidarity with the Hungarian Antifascist Movements

The ELP deeply condemns the renewed attacks against the Hungarian Association of Resistance Fighters and Antifascists (MEASZ) and personally Vilmos Hanti chairman of the Hungarian Association and of FIR (Fédération Internationale des Résistants). Vilmos Hanti protested publicly against the appointment of two representatives of extreme right as chiefs of a Theatre in Budapest, which is a new step in extending the penetration of open fascist personalities and their ideas into the public life of Hungary. Hanti intervened also in a large street demonstration against the above act, but – afterwards – was shown in photos of several extreme right publications and internet in a coat on which the red stripe over the swastika was scratched out.

For a while the ELP has been concerned for the progress of antidemocratic tendencies and the growing neofascist danger in Hungary. Our representatives participated in a number of antifascist meetings in Hungary, and – with the assistance of our member party, the Workers’ Party of Hungary 2006 – organized a conference about the situation and problems of the roma population in April of this year.

We fully support the common fight of the Workers’ Party 2006 and Vilmos Hanti for legalization of the open use of the red star and against the false equalization of symbols of the Nazi regime and the worker movements. In the case of the honorary chairman of the party, János Fratanolo, the European Court of Human Rights Strasbourg judged on 3rd of November 2011 that the punishment of a Hungarian court for wearing a red star during a demonstration is a violation of human right to freedom of expression (Article 10). The judgement (that was already stated also in the case of Chairman Attila Vajnai in 2008)creates an obligation to change the relevant law in Hungary. However, it was rejected by Hungarian officials and, recently, the chairman of the National Assembly of the Hungarian Republic, László Kövér, called the members of the Chamber to be idiots. Together with our Hungarian partners we strongly protest against such an approach and we demand the application of the ECHR decision.

These recent events reinforce the need for joining antifascist forces on national and international level and democratic solidarity.